A sound insulating support member is described for fixedly holding a pipe or tubular member to a support surface in a manner which does not allow for propagation of sound from the pipe to the support surface. Additionally the insulating support member can form a barrier restricting fluid flow from one side of the support surface to the other about the surface of the pipe or tubular member.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,684,220 and 3,684,223 both assigned to the assignee of this patent application, a pipe holder and pipe clamp are described. These pipe holders and pipe clamps were developed to enable copper tubing or similar type tubing or pipe to be attached to support structures. As is discussed in these patents copper tubing or the like has many distinct advantages. However, because of its thin wall thickness it is subject to deformation or other damage if not properly mounted to a support structure. The pipe holder and clamp of these prior patents, however, while serving to solve many of the problems associated with copper tubing have not solved all of them.
Since copper tubing is normally employed as a continuous pipe with as few joints as possible sound propagation within the pipe is a source of constant annoyance to the inhabitants of a structure wherein the pipe is located. The devices disclosed in the above noted patents both are solid monolithic structures which contact both the support surface and the pipe. The devices of the above noted patents attempt to minimize noise propagation by contacting the pipe with thin flanges or ribs. While these do serve to limit some of the noise propagation, the thin flanges or ribs are part of the monolithic structure and as such are amply capable of transmitting some vibrations from the pipe to the support structure.
In certain installations such as buildings having an external structural shell and internal walls which serve no structural purpose but only divide the interior of the building into sections, the interior walls are generally constructed of metal panels or similar materials. This type of panel serves as a sound amplifier if directly connected to a vibrating pipe. It is particularly annoying to be in such a structure when a sound is propagated through a pipe which is not sound insulated from these panels.
In addition to allowing sound propagation from the pipe to a supporting structure the devices noted in the above patents did not serve to seal the opening in the support structures through which a pipe traversed. Indeed, because the pipe was suspended by ribs, flanges or the like there are openings along the surfaces of the pipe between adjacent ribs, etc. Pipes, especially cold water pipes, will serve as condensers for any moisture in the air. If these moisture laden pipes traverse through one of the devices noted in the above mentioned patents the moisture was transferred to the clamp or holder at the contact point wherein the fins, ribs, etc. contacted the pipe. If sufficient moisture built up on the clamp or holder this moisture could very easily be transferred to the supporting structure or wall. This is particularly disadvantageous to installations wherein dry-wall or gypsum board is used. Repeated contact of the interior of the gypsum board with moisture will eventually destroy the integrity of this type of wall.